Belt fastening



J. T. GAUDlN Aug. 9, 11932.

BELT FAsTENNG Filed July 25, 1931 INVENTOR ATTO EYS4 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 PATENT OFFICE JAMES T. GAUDIN, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA BELT FASTENING Application led July 25, 1931.

o securing on the inner face of the outer end member of the fastened belt a flexible corrugated or toothed plate shaped to provide abrupt shoulders disposed to be engaged by a spring latch or fastening member carried by the other or inner end member of the belt.

My invention further consists in slotting the inner or spring carrying end of the belt and mounting the spring fastener therein upon a narrow metal plate or strip, a suitable slide being provided to embrace the spring and the metal plate and adapted, as it is moved along the belt, to retract the spring into the slot or to release it so that it is free to engage the toothed plate of the belt.

My invention further contemplates that the slide may be formed as a part of the normal decorative belt buckle or the use of a metallic buckle may be dispensed with and a flat rounded nger grip member provided on the slide and disposed on the inside of the belt by means of which the clasp can be conveniently slid back and forth by the wearers thumb to release or retract the spring element of the fastening.

My invention further comprises the novel details of construction and arrangements of parts, which in their preferred embodiment only are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which form a part of this specification and in which Fig. l is a fragmentary front view showing the ends of the belt and the fastening means mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear view showing the ends of the belt;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. l;

Fig. 4l is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 'IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the Serial No. 553,123.

line V-V of Fig. 6 and showing a modified form of my invention and Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line Vfl-VI of Fig. 5.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

In the embodiment of my invention, I show a standard type of garment belt having secured to the inner surface of the end 6 of the belt a toothed flexible plate 7. This plate is toothed or corrugated so as to present abruu` teeth or shoulders for engagement with the spring fastening element hereinafter described. 'Ihe other end of the belt 8 is provided with an elongated slot 9 and I attach to the inner face of this belt opposite this slot a flexible guide strip or plate l0 secured at its ends to the belt and carrying thereon a slide ll which also embraces a spring member l2 secured to the strip with its free ond towards the free end of the belt end 6. This free end of the spring is upturned and projects upwardly through the slot when the slide is at the end remote from the free end of the spring. When, however, the slide is shifted to the other end of the spring it contracts the free end and draws it below the outer level of the belt and thus disengages it from the teeth on the strip 7. If desired the belt may be provided with an ornamental buckle 13 having side members and a cross bottom member lll secured thereto. Ify de-A sired this buckle may be dispensed with, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and a leather loop l5 substituted, sufficient in width to cover the slot. In such a case it is desirable to provide a slide 16 with a finger piece T7 so that it may be more conveniently adjusted. by the thumb of the wearer inserted inside of the fastened belt.

In operation, having assembled the belt inI release the sprin l2 and cause it to move out into interloc ed engagement with the toothed plate. This will afford a quick, positive and secure fastening which can be readily released by shifting the slide to retract `the spring. It is unnecessary to shift the slide that the belt members be disengaged as this can be done readily by merely shifting the buckle or inserting the thumb so as to shift the slide and to mount the spring so retracted that the belt 6 can be slipped to tighten or loosen it, whereas the slide being again shifted and the spring released the latter will re-engage the plate and hold the belt' in adjusted position.

While I have shown my invention in but two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the a-rt that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications, Without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only suoli limitations shallbe placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A belt clasp, comprising a flexible toothed plate secured to the inner face of one end of the belt, a slot formed in the other end of the belt, a guide secured to the belt in line with said slot, a spring carried by and overlyingl the guide and having a free endadapted to engage and interlock with the toothed plate, and a slide coacting with the guide and spring to retract the latter and release the belt elements. y

2. A beltfastening according to claim 1, iny which a buckle member is provided on the slotted end of the belt and attached to the slide.

3. A belt fastening according to claim 1, in which the slotted end of the belt carries a loop member overlying and covering the slot and spaced therefrom to receive the other end of the belt.

4. A belt fastening comprising a flexible corrugated metallic strip secured to the inner face of one end of the belt and provided with teeth having abrupt Working faces, the other end of the belt having a slot extending lengthwise thereof and a slide guide secured to the belt to underlie said slot, a slide movable on the guide, a spring fastening member attached to the guide and embraced by the slide having a free end out-turned and adapted to project through said slotinto position to coact with the toothed plate When not retracted by the slide.

- 5. A belt fastening comprising a belt having a slotted end, a slide guide mounted therein, a spring belt engaging member carried by the guide, a slide movable on the guide and over the spring member and adapted to retract the latter and cause its disengagement from the other end of the belt, and a loop member secured to the slotted end of the belt opposite the spring member.

6. A belt fastening comprising a belt having a slotted end, a slide guide mounted therein, a spring belt engaging member carried by the guide, a slide movable on the guide and over the spring member and adapted to retract the latter and cause its disengagement from the other end of the belt, and a loop member mounted on the slotted end of the belt opposite the spring member, the loop member being in the form of an ornamental buckle having an under cross arm engaging the slisde.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

J AMES T. GAUDIN. 

